1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to sporting equipment and, more specifically, to a golf ball/tee placement device. The golf/tee placement device is comprised of a housing having a hopper for the placement of a plurality of golf balls and a canister for the placement of a plurality of tee. The housing uses compressed air to move a golf ball and golf tee away from the device and drive the tee into the ground with the golf ball placed thereon.
The golf/tee placement device can be used as a portable device having enough compressed air for the placement of approximately 200 golf balls and tees. The number of placements is a variable of the user selectable setting on the depth of the placement of the golf tee.
Positioned on the exterior face of the housing is a control panel with user selectable variables such as the depth of the golf tee, the time duration for the placement of subsequent balls and tees.
The device can also be used to place golf balls without tees by leaving the tee canister empty. The device moves a tee into the extending placement arm using compressed air. In conjunction with the loading of the tee a single ball is released into the place arm. Once positioned the placement arm using compressed air extends to its full position whereupon a jet of compressed air drives the ball and tee into the ground while opening the hinged element which retracts leaving the golf ball and implanted tee behind.
The device can also be connected to a compressor having unlimited placement of golf tees and/or golf balls.
The device of the present invention provides a carrying strap for easy maneuvering and holding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other golf/tee device designed for delivery of a golf ball. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,261 issued to Spencer on Jul. 19, 1932.
Another patent was issued to Young on Nov. 28, 1933 as U.S. Pat. No. 1,937,180. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,356 was issued to Pagett on Feb. 23, 1937 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 29, 1939 to Beckett as U.S. Pat. No. 2,171,299. Another patent was issued to Jones on Oct. 10, 1961 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,770. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,204 was issued to Wilson on Jul. 29, 1969. Another was issued to Melton on Aug. 17, 1971 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,983 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 12, 1973 to Hodgin as U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,662.
Another patent was issued to Loof on May 5, 1981 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,453. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,893 was issued to Choi on Jan. 10, 1989. Another was issued to Park on Jul. 5, 1994 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,107 and still yet another was issued on Nov. 7, 1995 to Dermott as U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,223.
Another patent was issued to Wang on Aug. 27, 1996 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,518. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,325 was issued to Janier on Dec. 10, 1996.
The invention discloses an apparatus of the character described having the combination of a chute for holding a series of golf balls in position to roll toward one end thereof, a flexible guide at the latter end of said chute for positioning a ball for driving, said guide serving to conduct the balls one at a time by gravity to said driving position and means for controlling the delivery of the balls to said guide.
Disclosed is a golf ball teeing device, the combination with a base, of a hopper having a laterally disposed portion at its lower end, a yoke shaped hopper supporting bracket on said base disposed to embrace the laterally disposed bottom portion of said hopper, an actuating lever pivotally mounted on said bracket, and gate members connected to said lever on opposite sides of its pivot.
An automatic golf ball feeding and teeing device, a spirally descending magazine having an outer and an inner vertical cylinder, a tee pivotally mounted on the magazine, delivery means mounted on the magazine for successively delivering said golf balls to the tee, comprising a weighted delivery trough suspended at one end by a hinge bearing subjacently at right angles to the discharge end of said magazine, and curving abruptly upward through a slotted opening in said outer vertical cylinder, and merging into a straight upwardly extending portion, and having at its outer end an integral annular delivery guide with an opening therethrough to permit the downward passage of a golf ball, said delivery trough being counter-weighted at its bearing end to hold it normally in said upwardly extending position, whereby the trough will be caused to swing downward and register the delivery guide with the tee when overbalanced by the weight of a golf ball delivered from said magazine to the bearing end of said delivery trough, and means operably connected to the inner end of said tee, and operated by each vertical reciprocation thereof, whereby one ball at a time is fed from the magazine to the tee, upon each vertical reciprocation of the tee, said reciprocation being caused by golf ball weight successively applied to and removed from the tee.
The invention is a golf teeing machine comprising a shallow casing having an upstanding side wall and a cone-shaped bottom, a hand operable lever pivotally mounted on said casing and extending through said bottom at the apex thereof, said lever being arranged extending vertically above said side wall to a height convenient for hand operation, said side wall being provided with means defining an outlet for golf balls, a chute movable to guide balls leaving the outlet, and link means connecting said lever with said chute for movement of said chute by said lever.
In a golf ball teeing device, a vertical golf ball supply chamber formed at its lowest portion with a delivery aperture, a generally L-shaped trough pivoted in said aperture and extending therethrough, means biasing said trough to a position wherein its outer portion is elevated, a guide channel in the chamber inclined downwardly toward and registerable with the inner portion of said trough when the outer portion of the trough is elevated, a tee lever pivotally mounted below the trough in the same vertical plane therewith, an upstanding tee on the outer end of the tee lever, ball-positioning means on the outer end of the trough is swung downwardly, a feeding roller rotatably mounted in the chamber and spaced above said guide channel by a distance substantially equal to the diameter, of a golf ball, projections on the feeding roller spaced to receive therebetween a golf ball in the channel to prevent descent thereof, said trough being rotatable to lower its outer portion by gravity towards the tee lever responsive to the entry of a golf ball into its inner portion, upstanding rod means connected to the tee lever on one side of its pivotal connection and located to drivingly engage with the feeding roller responsive to downward rotation of the outer end of the tee lever caused by the weight of a golf ball on the tee lever, additional upstanding rod means connected to the tee lever on the opposite side of its pivotal connection and normally lockingly engaging the feeding roller, and means retracting said last-named rod means from the feeding roller responsive to said downward rotation of said outer end of the tee lever, whereby to provide an escapement action between the tee lever and the feeding roller.
The invention is a golf ball feeding and ball retriever means comprising an elongated storage tube having an inner diameter not substantially greater than a golf ball for picking up and housing a supply of golf balls
A golf ball dispenser disclosed herein having a hopper for storing a quantity of balls and a pivoting ramp mounted on a fulcrum base for receiving a ball from the hopper for delivering to a playing tee. The device includes a selector means for introducing one ball at a time to the ramp and the end of the ramp mounts a helical guide for placing the selected ball directly onto the tee. Counterweights are carried on the ramp to an upright position out of the club-swinging path.
An automatic golf ball teeing device is provided having a frame and a ball guide tube mounted on the frame to which a portable ball storage rack may be attached to feed golf balls to the guide tube; a cup is attached to a pivotally movable transfer arm having a counter-weight at its end opposite the cup; when the transfer arm is in a raised position the cup will cause the transfer arm to pivot downwardly to discharge the ball through an adjustable wire guide track on to a golf tee; the golf tee is supported on a member which will pivot about a horizontal axis when the tee is struck by a golf club; a rod is pivotally mounted on a support and is rigidly attached to the pivoting member and extends to the base of the frame; a star wheel feeder is rotatably mounted adjacent the ball guide tube with the spokes of the wheels projecting into the tube; a spring biased hook latch controls rotation of the star wheel and a mechanical linkage is provided to disengage the latch hook from the star wheel in response to pivoting of the rod connected to the golf ball tee supporting member so that one ball at a time can be discharged from the ball guide tube into the cup.
A golf ball teeing apparatus to receive a ball from a magazine holding a plurality of balls and position the ball on a tee automatically upon a previous ball positioned on the tee being struck by a golf club. When a ball is driven off the tee, the tee deflects. This deflection actuates a first gate in the magazine to release one ball for movement onto a pivoted and counter weighted arm. The weight of the released ball pivots the arm to transfer that ball to the tee. At the tee, the ball rolls off the arm and the counterweight returns the arm to a position adjacent the magazine. As the arm returns to this position, it actuates a second gate in the magazine to permit one ball to move against the first gate in position to be released onto the arm when the teed ball has been driven.
The portable golf ball-teeing device consists of a portable case, the upper portion of which opens into a hopper to receive a bucket of golf balls. The apparatus within the case for separating and singularizing the golf balls consists of a platform at the bottom of the hopper having inclined surfaces leading to a funnel shaped opening in the platform, a rotatable cup located at the bottom of the funnel to receive the golf balls singly, and three blades which are suspended for movement through slits in the platform, the blades include an outer parallel pair which move in an arcuate path and a central blade which reciprocates in a vertical path. The blades are interconnected with the cup and move in response to movement of the cup. The cup is rotated by a linear gear, meshing with gear teeth on the cup, which is actuated by a foot pedal that is connected to the gear by a wire. In operation, pressure on the foot pedal rotates the cup to release a ball from the cup down a guide connected to the cup to a tee. As the cup moves the blades also move guiding balls into single file over the platform surface into the funnel and then, the cup.
The invention relates to a golf ball storage and dispensing apparatus including a horizontally movable arm member. A housing covers the arm member in a retracted position and stores the golf balls above the arm member. A guide wire supports a golf ball during movement of the arm member from the housing towards the tee. When the arm member is in a fully extended position, the arm member moves over the guide wire for releasing the ball onto the tee.
A device for teeing a golf ball automatically and in portable form. It is a complete unit consisting of a hopper for holding a plurality of balls, guides and blockers to prevent the balls clogging in the hopper, a rotor and pendulum to release one ball at a time, an automatic actuation of the ball release, a pivoting ramp to place a ball on an integral tee and a connection to the tee so that when the ball is struck with a golf club, the next ball will automatically proceed to the tee. The flow of a ball to the tee is accomplished by gravity due to the elevated hopper and the force of the golfer""s swing. The device is mechanical and does not require electric power or batteries and is completely automatic since no separate operation is required to send the ball to the tee.
A golf ball dispensing device includes: a pivotal track pivotally mounted in and normally vertically erected on a housing by a pivot, a hopper fitted on the housing for loading golf balls into the housing, an unloading lever formed on a first side portion of the pivot of the pivotal track and a counterweight secured on a balancing lever formed on a second side portion of the pivot opposite to the unloading lever, and a trigger device pivotally mounted on the housing about the pivot, whereby upon a manual depression such as depressed by a golf club or driver on the trigger device to bias the unloading lever downwardly from the vertically erected position, a golf ball received on a concave portion on the rear end portion of the unloading lever will gravitationally roll down along the unloading lever to a tee to be struck by a golfer; and after discharging the golf ball from the unloading lever, the counterweight on the balancing lever will automatically restore the pivotal track vertically ready for a next teeing portion, without requiring an electric motor and power supply.
Distributor of the type comprising ball storing means and an articulated arm supplying a ball to the striking area. According to the invention, the ball storage means consists of a prismatic housing including, adjacent to each of its ends, supporting devices causing the bottom thereof to slope downwards in the direction of its open downstream end, which delimits an outlet for the passage of only one ball, its arm being articulated about a pivot pin in the housing. The distributor comprises a longitudinal chute, the upstream end being longitudinally closed, but having an opening for the distribution of a ball, while the upstream end is configured in the shape of a scoop for seizing a ball. Spring return means are placed between the housing and the arm to bring said arm into a substantially vertical position, once a ball is released.
The present invention discloses a golf/tee placement device having a housing having a hopper therein for the placement of a plurality of golf balls and a canister for the placement of a plurality of tees. The housing uses compressed air to move a golf ball and golf tee away from the device and drive the tee into the ground with the golf ball placed thereon. Positioned on the exterior face of the housing is a control panel with user selectable variables such as the depth of the golf tee and the time duration for the placement of subsequent balls and tees. The device moves a tee into the extending placement arm using compressed air. In conjunction with the loading of the tee a single ball is released into the placement arm. Once positioned the placement arm uses compressed air to extend it to full position whereupon a jet of compressed air drives the ball and the tee into the ground while opening the hinged element which retracts leaving the golf ball and implanted tee behind.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a device for the placement of a golf tee into the ground and a golf ball thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device for the selective placement of a single golf ball from a hopper containing a plurality of golf balls.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device using compressed air to drive a golf tee into the ground.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device for the selective placement of a golf ball and tee into the ground by a user selectable time frame.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical device having an extendable retractable arm for the selective placement of a single golf ball from a hopper containing a plurality of golf balls and a tee driven into the ground.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf/tee placement device that is economical to manufacture and provides a carrying strap.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a golf/tee placement device that is easy to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a golf/tee placement device that is portable.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a golf ball/tee placement device having a housing having a hopper for the placement of a plurality of golf balls therein and a canister for the placement of a plurality of tee whereupon the device uses compressed air to move a golf ball and golf tee away from the device and drive the tee into the ground with the golf ball placed thereon or the placement of golf balls without tees.
The device can be used as a portable device using compressed air canisters. The number of placements being a variable of the user selectable setting on the depth of the placement of the golf tee.
The device has a control panel with user selectable variables such as the depth of the golf tee and the time duration for the placement of subsequent balls and tees.
The device moves a tee into the extending placement arm using compressed air. In conjunction with the loading of the tee a single ball is released into the place arm. Once positioned the placement arm using compressed air extends to its full position whereupon a jet of compressed air drives the ball and tee into the ground while opening the hinged element which retracts leaving the golf ball and implanted tee behind.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.
The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.